In a development that strengthens the judicial capacity of one of the country’s largest High Courts, Advocates Amitabh Kumar Rai and Rajiv Lochan Shukla were sworn in as judges of the Allahabad High Court on Monday, September 8, 2025. With their appointment, the working strength of the court has now risen to 87 judges, including the Chief Justice.

The elevation of Rai and Shukla comes pursuant to the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium made in March 2025, wherein their names were cleared for judgeship of the Allahabad High Court. Their induction follows the oath-taking of Advocate Arun Kumar, who was administered the oath as a judge just last week.

The latest appointments are part of a broader effort to address the significant shortage of judges in the Allahabad High Court, which has one of the highest case backlogs in India.

In a meeting held on 1st September 2025, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended a total of 26 names for elevation to the Allahabad High Court bench. This includes 14 judicial officers and 12 lawyers, marking one of the largest recent batches of recommendations for any High Court in the country.

The fresh appointments reflect the Collegium’s continued emphasis on filling vacancies in constitutional courts to ensure speedier justice delivery.

Although the current strength has now reached 87 judges, the sanctioned strength of the Allahabad High Court is significantly higher, and several posts remain vacant. The court, spread across its principal seat in Prayagraj and the Lucknow Bench, has long been dealing with a huge pendency of cases, making new judicial appointments crucial for reducing backlog and ensuring timely adjudication.

The swearing-in of Rai and Shukla is expected to ease some pressure on the court and improve the disposal rate of pending matters. Both lawyers bring with them years of rich experience in advocacy and are expected to contribute meaningfully to the judicial system.

These developments underline the larger nationwide focus on judicial infrastructure reforms, timely appointments, and strengthening High Courts, which serve as the backbone of India’s justice delivery mechanism.